Mum grew up in tough times.  Newspaper between blankets and many in a bed just to keep warm.  Swapping shoes over to avoid holes.  A favorite doll's dress cut up by a sibling... there just was never enough to play with, create with, enjoy.  She won a watch as a prize in a drawing competition at school.  She got into trouble a lot for drawing pictures in the margins of her exercise book.  She had beautiful handwriting.  She loved coats and hats.  She loved her friends.  She always worked to achieve perfection in whatever job she put her hands too.  She worked as a nurse, ran a shop, sewed baby clothes and aprons, made teddy bears, cleaned houses.  She brought us up with music and a pool, a sandpit, a cat, rabbits, tea sets, family.  We were apparently poor but we never knew it.  She taught me to be responsible, to forgive, to be honest, to work hard, to be happy with what I have.  When I was little she used to read to my brother & me in her bed at night.  She always smelled of soap and powder.  She liked roses powder.  She loved all flowers.  She loved pretty stylish things.  Tasteful.  But never had much.  Then she met my dad.  The one who raised me.  Im happy to say her life was very very happy.  She found and married a gentleman.  She never had enough pearls or diamonds or fancy things.... for my liking.  But as I get older I think she saw a great wealth in the love and life they shared.  How could bits of rock & glass ever compare.

My process : making two elephant cushions for my sister who once said she loved them and who know owns nearly all of Melbourne's elephant ornaments  (well Im sure she feels like that sometimes).

I searched around for an elephant picture I was happy with.

I bought two really nice European style pillow cases ready made from Kmart.

I CANT find the pattern but I do recall the design I wanted had plant life fabric behind the elephant cut in a circle shape.  Im sticking with this.

**Im still getting to this project but I am going to embroider some skin lines on the elephant.  And Im going to hand quilt around the elephant and the lines of the plants /leaves.  I will needleturn the circle of fabric to each cushion once all the work is done... to hide any thread tales etc. This is one UFO I want to finish but also want to take my time over.  I really want her to love the cushions.

My beautiful boy.  Samuel is an energetic athletic child.  A true gift.

Happy Christmas...

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

We left home at 6.30am and arrived at the party by 11.30am.

All too soon it was time to eat and run. But an excellent party and a big thank you to my sister and her husband. A warm, welcoming, fun Christmas celebration. Great to see everyone.

Just as well the shopping had to stop.... I might have gone nuts (well even more over the top). I love pressies and helping all the kids have a great Christmas.

Samuel didnt enjoy all that time on the train. We wont do it that way again. But we are home now and enjoying a great Christmas day. It's fine to be by ourselves and have a fun lazy day.... because yesterday was so special ..... gosh the food was delicious. Note to self: try cooking. It might be fun after all.

One thing at a time.....

See the ant over there? I never realised he was walking sideways.... I should have taken the shot differently.... with everything in the garden at the moment I am wondering what was so great about the moth wing that he just HAD to carrying it up the steps. Oh well. Ant business I guess.

Well i suppose there has to be ONE good thing about getting really really old LOL!! And here it is. While part of you is in a huge panic because of everything you have to get achieved in the next 5 days..... old age is telling you that one step at a time you can do it!!!

If I could just really crack the lion's mane..... Im off to get a few more fabrics today. Im not sure whether to do it solid, strips, ..... its a bit cheesy to try and buy fabric that looks like lion hair and just put a wig on..... LOL There has to be some way I can manipulate all the gold and brown I have.... to make his hair appear!!

Shopping list today:

invisible thread, quilt permanent marker (for the quilt label), binding fabric, better hand sewing needles, iron on stuff (name?) and disappearing act stuff (name?) see..... old age is a shocker.

Im also buying myself a few treats today...... like some new pj s and other bits and pieces that are a bit boring.... but it is nice to be able to get myself a Christmas present!!!

**Its raining again.... which is good..... and bad. Ok good. I suppose I can justify NOT mowing the back lawn if it is nice and wet!

Its a scan so I had to erase the white threads that showed up.... but add a blue tie and this is my obama, hand appliqued, black and white cotton fabric. It sits in the centre top of my quilt in a narrow frame. His face was a mm by mm proposition but I think it looks like him.

My Artist Statement accompanying my Obama quilt

You know, Australia too was colonized and then worked its way to independence. I have an intense interest in history. I believe you are better equipped to know where you are going and who you are traveling with, if you shrug off ignorance and embrace a knowledge of those who have gone before.

The first settlers were my family and friends of family. How do I reconcile my pride of these amazingly brave people with my embarrassment over their attitudes towards native peoples, racial and religious intolerance? I have come to the conclusion that it is impossible and unnecessary. Impossible because no one determines what period of history they are born in, what family they are raised in, what norms concerning religion and race they are soaked in. Unnecessary as my responsibility is to share their story even handedly and be responsible for my own actions and attitudes.

I have been watching for an event that would reveal and celebrate the incredible generosity of spirit the challenges of the last 100 years have put in our hearts. I passionately believe each one of us take very seriously our personal responsibility for the worthy human being living, working, by our side. I think we have come a long way in finding value in our family traditions, our roots, while allowing ourselves to feel a love for whatever country we now call home.

Out of this complex consideration of past and present comes the simple word : hope. Hope epitomizes a state of mind that took action and elected Mr Obama.

The campaign language: “Yes, we can.”, “Change”, rang true for peoples living beyond the shores of the United States of America. Australian television channels broke into regular programming for President Elect Obama’s acceptance speech in Chicago, November 5 2008. People here stopped and listened, were moved to tears.

I have been inspired by Jefferson, "all men are created equal", Martin Luther King Jnr, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. “ and President Elect Obama’s determination “Yes we can”.

I feel priviliged to offer my quilt for the show at Montgomery College. My quilt has elements from Kenya, Kansas and the USA because you know, not one of us stands alone, unaffected by our forefathers or untouched by present time pressures. I am inspired by a man who campaigned not on fear, cliché or race. But on the contents of his character.